There are times in my life when I want to time travel.
I want to travel back in time to hug the child who is being abused. I want to untie the ropes that hang a little boy’s feet from a tree. I want to tell my 13-year-old friend to speak up about her rape. I want to travel back in time to a little boy’s house and give him a pillow and a blanket to sleep with. I want to remind a child that God’s heart is shattering at the sight of what people are doing to him in His name. I want to tell my high school friend that she is worth more than giving her body away to man after man. I want to tell a little girl that her value is not defined by the words that her family hurls at her. I want to tell her that she is worthy.
These things did not happen to me. They happened to people I know. You know someone who has been through those things as well. You might not be aware of it, but it has happened to people you know.
This blog is for my parents. These are words of gratitude for them. These are words of appreciation for the people who have protected me from harm; who have shared with me their wisdom so that I could go off into the world prepared, confident, unscathed.
I have great parents. I have parents who tell me through their words and show me through their actions that they love me immensely. I have parents who stand by me and support the decisions I make in life –even when they don’t necessarily agree. I have parents who fight for me, who have sacrificed so much to serve me and give me the best they could. They aren’t perfect, because they are human. But neither am I a perfect daughter –as much as they would like to think so. We are flawed human beings who strive to fight for each other, and we don’t give up.
My hope and prayer is that the lonely, broken, and abused people I have met throughout this year and throughout my life will one day come to know the love of a father or a mother the way I have known it.
Thank you Lord for placing me in the loving arms of my mom and dad, and entrusting them with the mission to raise me well and love me like no other people on earth could ever love me.
I love you, Mami & Daddy.
